WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Tuesday that articles of impeachment filed against U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas are baseless and should be immediately dismissed.

The House sent to the Senate on Tuesday two articles of impeachment alleging that Mayorkas violated his constitutional oath by engaging in “a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with his duties as an Officer of the United States” — in particular, failing to enforce immigration laws.

The delivery of the articles obligates the Senate to hold a trial on the charges contained, but Democratic leaders have indicated they will try to preempt a full hearing by dismissing the charges. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he will seek to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“The Senate has a solemn obligation to fully consider articles of impeachment sent by the House,” Schatz said in a statement released Tuesday. “It is a responsibility I take seriously. After reviewing the articles of impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas, one thing is clear: There is no actual allegation of an impeachable offense as outlined in the Constitution.”

Mayorkas’ impeachment was identified early on as a priority for House Republicans once Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., was elected speaker. Republicans in both chambers have argued that Mayorkas bears responsibility for what they have described as a “crisis” situation on the southern border.

The articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas of failing to enforce existing immigration laws, including the 2006 Secure the Fence Act, which requires the secretary to “maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States.” They also accuse him of committing perjury by claiming the border was secure during questioning before Congress in April 2022.

The charges cite evidence of a failed immigration system — 5.5 million illegal border crossings under Mayorkas’ watch — as well as the consequences of his alleged lack of operation control.

“In fiscal year 2022, 98 individuals on the Terrorist Screening Database were apprehended at the southern border, more than during the previous 5 years combined,” the documents state. “In total, more than 100 individuals on the TSDB have been apprehended under Secretary Mayorkas. Under Secretary Mayorkas, more fentanyl has crossed the border in the last two months than in all of fiscal year 2019 under President Trump’s leadership. In fiscal year 2022, over 14,000 pounds of poisonous fentanyl were seized at the southern border. Fentanyl overdoses are the number one cause of death for individuals ages 18 to 45 nationwide.”

Schatz pushed back at the allegations, insisting that Republicans have failed to show proof of wrongdoing that meets the standard for impeachment.

“For months, House Republicans conducted an impeachment inquiry into Secretary Mayorkas’ enforcement of U.S. immigration policy and were never able to offer any clear evidence of a high crime or misdemeanor,” Schatz said.

And while Republicans continue to press for a full and immediate trial, Schatz suggested his own preference for a way forward.

“Never before has Congress sought to impeach and remove a federal official solely because of a policy disagreement,” he said. “Yet that is exactly what House Republicans are trying to do with Secretary Mayorkas. Without an allegation of an impeachable offense, the Senate should move to dismiss the articles of impeachment immediately.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.